Amateur Radio provides communications for the Unpaved Bicycle Race

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On Sunday, October 10, 2021, Amateur Radio operators provided communications for the Unpaved of the Susquehanna Valley bicycle race.  The race starts in Lewisburg, PA and winds its way south west through the Bald Eagle State Forest back to Lewisburg.  It is a particularly long race, the longest course is 120 miles with several other shorter courses possible.  Near 1,200 riders registered for the race with about 800 riding.  The reduced number was probably a result of the rainy weather.

Amateur Radio operations started the night before with setup of a mast and antenna for the Headquarters Net Control Station at the Miller Center in Lewisburg.  The race and radio operations started at 0715 and continued until 2002.  There were four aid stations:

  • Shale pit on Pine Creek Hollow Road at Stoney Run
  • Poe Paddy Dr and Havice Valley Rd
  • Weikert Run Rd and Hoofnagle Rd
  • Rusty Rail Brewing along Buffalo Valley Rail to Trail, Mifflinburg, PA

Amateur Radio Operators participating were:

  • Robin, W3KAT
  • Jon, W3JON
  • Allen, K3HOC
  • Matt, KC3OMP
  • Rene, WB5URY
  • Chad, KC3SEQ
  • Carmine, K3CWP
  • Greg, K3HOT

Although the amount of time varied at each station Amateur Radio operators put in more than seventy (70) hours of time servicing the event.  This does not include the time spent planning and exchanging e-mails in preparation.  There were several scheduling changes up to the day before the event.

Fortunately there were no serious incidents and most of the radio traffic related to administrative issues and some transportation of riders who could not complete the race.  None-the-less this event provides an excellent training and practice opportunity for participating Amateur Radio operators.

Our thanks to the Unpaved and Incident Commander, Dave Pryor for inviting us, Woody, K3YV, and Eric, N3EB for use of the W3YA repeater and Ron, N3VTH, for permission to list his repeater at Red Rock as a backup channel.  Special thanks to the above Amateur Radio operators who took time out of their weekends to participate.

An interesting side note – there was a good bit of celebrating when a husband and wife team completed the 120 mile loop late in the afternoon.  As if that wasn’t enough, the husband was towing a child trailer with their toddler son for the whole ride.  The child was reported to have enjoyed the event.

73, Carmine, K3CWP